Shipping & Customs
Shipping Jewelry from China: Customs, Duty and Documentation
How to prepare jewelry shipments for customs in the US, EU and UK: documents, HS codes, duty treatment, valuation and the mistakes that delay clearance.
Jewelry shipments are examined more often than general cargo, because value density is high and origin declarations matter. Almost every delay we see is a documentation problem, not a smuggling suspicion.
The document set that clears cleanly
| Document | What it must contain |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Exact description, quantity, unit value, total, Incoterms, buyer and seller details |
| Packing list | Carton count, weight, dimensions, contents per carton |
| Certificate copies | Grading reports matching stones in the parcel |
| Material declaration | Statement that lab grown stones are synthetic, not mined |
| Certificate of origin | If your destination claims preferential treatment |
| Freight waybill | DHL / FedEx / UPS air waybill with correct value |
HS codes you will use most
| Product | Typical HS heading |
|---|---|
| Imitation jewellery (base metal, plated) | 7117 |
| Silver jewellery | 7113.11 |
| Gold jewellery | 7113.19 |
| Diamond, non-industrial, worked | 7102.39 (natural) — verify synthetic subheading with your broker |
| Synthetic/lab grown stones | 7104.90 |
| Precious metal waste and scrap | 7112 |
HS classification is destination-specific and changes. Always confirm the final code with your customs broker before you import — a wrong code is the fastest way to a held shipment.
Valuation: declare the true transaction value
Under-declaring is the most common and most expensive mistake. Customs can revalue the shipment, seize it, and flag your importer record for future shipments. Declare the actual price you paid, and keep the invoice consistent with the payment record.
Duty treatment by market
- United States: jewellery is typically dutiable; rates vary by metal and stone content. Verify current rates before pricing.
- European Union: duty applies on the goods value plus freight and insurance, then import VAT.
- United Kingdom: separate UK Global Tariff applies post-Brexit.
- Australia and Canada: duty varies by origin and FTA eligibility.
Packing to avoid inspection friction
High-value pieces should be individually bagged with SKU labels that match the packing list line for line. Random weight or mismatched labels slow inspection and increase the chance of a full unpack. We photograph each carton before sealing and send the images with the shipping documents.
Freight choices
| Service | Typical transit | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DHL / FedEx Express | 3–7 days | Urgent stock, samples, high-value parcels |
| UPS Saver | 5–8 days | Mid-size insured shipments |
| EMS / ePacket | 10–25 days | Low-value sample parcels |
| Air freight + broker | 7–14 days | Large wholesale orders above 50 kg |
Insurance is not optional
Insure the full invoice value. Jewelry is a high-theft category and carriers limit liability on undeclared value. We ship insured by default and provide the certificate of insurance with the documents.
What to put in your purchase specification
Before you place a wholesale order, write the specification down and make the factory confirm it in writing. Every dispute we see between a buyer and a supplier traces back to a vague or missing specification sheet. The following items are the ones that actually cause problems when they are left open:
| Item | What to state |
|---|---|
| Stone grade | Colour and clarity range, plus the tolerance you will accept against the approved master sample (±1 grade is standard) |
| Metal and purity | Exact karat or silver fineness, alloy type, and whether white gold is nickel-free |
| Plating | Type (rhodium, 18K gold) and thickness in microns — a thin flash plating wears through in months |
| Dimensions | Band width, stone measurement, chain length, and the weight tolerance per piece |
| Setting method | Prong, bezel, channel or pavé — this single choice can double labour cost |
| Packing | Poly bag, box, pouch, tag, barcode label, and how many pieces per carton |
| Documents | Which certificates, and whether you need a material declaration or assay report |
MOQ, lead time and payment terms
Our standard terms across the catalogue are straightforward, and they are the same terms we quote in writing rather than adjusting per enquiry:
- MOQ — 10 pieces per design for stock specifications, 50 pieces for mixed-design lots. Custom development starts from 30 pieces per style in 925 silver and 10 pieces in gold.
- Tiered pricing — list price to 49 pieces, about 8% off from 50 pieces, about 14% off from 200 pieces, and negotiated pricing above 500 pieces with reserved production capacity.
- Lead time — 7–15 days for stock designs, 10–20 days for custom or certified production runs. Add 3–7 days for express transit to Europe and North America.
- Payment — 30% deposit with the balance before shipment, by T/T, PayPal, Western Union or Alibaba Trade Assurance.
- Samples — single samples ship at list price and the cost is credited against your first order above 200 pieces.
- Quality guarantee — 30-day return window on stock items, and a written remanufacture-or-credit commitment if a parcel falls outside the approved tolerances.
Quality control: what happens before your parcel leaves
Buyers who have been burned before usually want to know exactly what inspection was performed. This is our standard sequence on every wholesale order, whether it is 20 pieces or 2,000:
- Incoming stone grading. Every parcel is checked for colour, clarity and measurement against the order sheet before it enters the setting line. Rejected stones are pulled, not downgraded and used anyway.
- In-process inspection. Setters check prong security, stone alignment and surface finish at each station rather than at the end of the line.
- Final QC under 10× magnification. Polish, plating thickness, clasp and hinge function, and hallmark accuracy are verified piece by piece.
- Cleaning, photographing, packing. Pieces are cleaned, photographed against your PO number, and packed in individual poly bags inside export cartons.
- Document preparation. Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate copies and — where required — a material declaration stating that the stones are laboratory-grown.
You receive the photographs and the packing list before the parcel ships, so you can flag anything before it leaves rather than after it arrives.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mix metals and stone grades in one order?
Yes. You can combine 925 sterling silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in the same production run, and specify different colour and clarity grades per line. Every combination is confirmed on a single approval sheet before production starts, so there is no ambiguity about which line is which.
How consistent is grading across repeat orders?
Repeat orders are graded against the master sample kept on file under your account, which is why buyers who reorder regularly see far less variation than buyers who switch suppliers each season. Tolerances are written into the approval sheet, so a reorder cannot drift without your written agreement.
Do you provide photography for my online store?
Every catalogued design has front, three-quarter and macro imagery in sRGB at print resolution, named to match the SKU so the assets map straight into your product database. For orders above 200 pieces we photograph your private-label version at no additional cost.
What happens if the goods do not match the sample?
Send photographs and the SKU list within 14 days of delivery. If the deviation exceeds the tolerances on your approval sheet, we remake the affected pieces or issue a credit — this is covered by our written quality guarantee and applies to every order, not only the first one.
Related wholesale collections
- Custom Jewelry Manufacturer — 129 ready designs, MOQ from 10 pcs.
Related Articles
- How to Buy Lab Grown Diamonds Wholesale: A 2025 Importer’s Guide
- Wedding Ring Wholesale Buying Guide for Retailers and Brands
Authoritative References
For buyers who need to verify the technical and regulatory basis of this guide, the following independent institutions publish authoritative reference data:
- eCFR Title 19 - U.S. Customs regulations for tariff classification and import documentation.
- European Commission - EU customs, tariffs and trade compliance resources.
